After a month-long extravaganza across two nations, the 10th edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will culminate with an evenly-poised final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday night. India will be stepping out to become the first team to defend the world T20 title and extend their dominance in the format with a third title while Mitchell Santner’s New Zealand are aiming for their first ever triumph.
What awaits India and New Zealand in is a potential belter, , as has been the usual norm at this venue. In the six previous matches on the ground this World Cup, the lowest first-innings score was 175. The pitch allotted for the final is strip No. 6, last used during the first match here between South Africa and Canada, where the Proteas racked up a staggering 213 for five.
Pressure at the world stage has usually meant average scores in knockout games at the T20 World Cup, although both India and New Zealand flipped the norms with blinding batting performances in their respective semi-finals. With a mixed-soil pitch with more red soil than black on offer for Sunday, India and New Zealand are in with a chance to rewrite the finals record. At a high-scoring, they will inevitably need to.
Over the years, the T20 World Cup finals pressure has meant that high scores have not been frequented that often. Interestingly, India hold the record for the highest team score in a World Cup final, having racked up a 176-run total in Barbados during the 2024 clash against South Africa. The total proved to be just above par with South Africa suffering a seven-run defeat. New Zealand are the only side to record a 170-plus total batting first in the final. In the 2021 final, the Kiwis posted 172/4 in Dubai before Australia comfortably chased down the score in 19 overs to lift their maiden crown.
India are the only side to record two 150-plus team scores in finals, having won the inaugural edition by five runs over Pakistan in Johannesburg with a 157-run total.
The lowest first-innings score in Ahmedabad in this World Cup has stood at 175 ahead of the final, with South Africa racking up the highest score of 213 for four against Canada in the first game here which was played on the same pitch that will be used for the final on Sunday. Interestingly, the highest team score in Ahmedabad was recorded by India against New Zealand three years ago — 234/4 — with recording his career-best 126 not out. More recently, India also smashed 231 for five against South Africa at the venue in December 2025.
Highest T20I scores in Ahmedabad
234/4 – India vs New Zealand, 2023
231/5 – India vs South Africa, 2025
224/2 – India vs England, 2021
213/4 – South Africa vs Canada, 2026
201/8 – South Africa vs India, 2026
